Crossover-switch for electric-railway systems.



No. Samos. Patented Aug. 27, 490|. w. n. YuuNG. CROSSOVER SWITCH FCR ELECTRIC RAILWAY, SYSTEMS.

(Application filed Feb. 12. 1901,)

2 Sheeis-$heei (No Model.)

N VEN T05 W. 7. YOU/V6 A Nom/EVS No. 68|,605- Patented Aug. Z7, |90I. W. D. YOUNG.

GRUSSDVER SWITCH FOB ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEMS;

(Application Bled Feb. 12, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(H0 Model.)

ma Non-ms Evans co. wnovourno.. wAsNmumN. n. c.

`TTE STATES PATENT OEEICE.

CROSSOVER-SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC-RAILWAY SYSTEMS.

SFECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,605, dated August 27, 1901. Application led February 12, 1901. Serial No. 46,990. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER D. YOUNG., residing at Baltimore city, in the State of Maryland, have invented a new and Improved Crossover-Switch for Electric-Railway Systems, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to improvements in surface-contact or third-rail electric-railway systems,and particularly to that type of thirdrail systems used in connection with the ordinary steam-railway system-for example, a system built on the lines of what is known as the B. do O. tunnel third-rail system, in which the same tramway-rails are employed for the passage of the electric motors and locomotives. In the particular system mentioned the conductor or third rail is run adjacent the track-rails, preferably on the outside thereof and in a plane slightly higher than that of the track-rails proper, to permit of a convenient and positive contacting therewith of the pick-up or trolley shoes on the motor-engine.

Heretofore in certain third-rail systems it has been customary to cut off the current from the motors and pass over crossovers by momentum. In the system like that referred to above-namely, the B. d: O. tunnel system-such manner of passing over the crossovers is impossible, especially so on heavy upgrades. By reason of the great draft-power required for pulling heavy freight and passenger trains it is inexpedient to cut out the feeder-current at crossovers, as such action is one fraught with great danger to the running-gear of the motor-engines and the draft appliances of the train, it being necessary that a constant power or feeder current to the motor-engine be always in use to effect a proper propulsion of heavy trains, especially so on upgrades.

My invention seeks to provide a simple and effective supplemental third rail section which operates as a switch and adapted to work within spaces between the adjacent rails of two parallel main track-sections and within the crossover track-section that passes from one main track to the other in the usual manner and which normally is held in a plane below that of the main rails, so as to offer no obstruction to the passage of the steam-locomotives or cars of a train drawn over by steam or electric power, and further adapted to be moved up in an operative condition for engagement with the trolley of the motor-engine and to automatically resume its normal depressed or inoperative position as soon as the motor-trolley passes from engagement therewith.

My invention also seeks to provide a simple and effective crossover switch mechanism for the purpose specified adapted to be set from the regular switch-tower to span the space between the separated ends of the feeder or third rail at the crossover-points and form, as it were, a continuation of the conductor-rail and which either by manual power or automatically will move out of the path of the passing trains as soon as separated from the motor-trolley shoes.

I accomplish the results desired by the mechanism hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a diagrammatic plan view of a double-track system and illustrating the coi-relative position therewith of the conductor or third rail members and the supplemen tal or conductor rail switchsections. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, the crossoverconductor-rail being in an elevated or inoperative position. Fig. 3 is a similar view, the crossover rail or switch member being down to its inoperative or normal position. Fig. is a cross-section taken substantially on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail cross-section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is a detail plan view illustrating the manner in which the switch-rail section is connected to its supporting-arms.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals and letters indicate like parts in all the figures, A B indicate the two main-line track-sections, and O the track-section for crossing over from track A to track B and which in practice is arranged in the usual manner and equipped with the necessary switching mechanism. (Not shown.)

D D designate the third or conductor rails, which are formed in sections insulated from each other with their adjacent ends being closely arranged, as is usual in sectional IOO ' sition by means of the local or pick-up energy on the motor-engine when the said engine passes onto the said switch, which operation mayl also be effected in any wellknown manner. By pick-up energy I mean the energy carried on a motor-car which is used to pick up the switch, and thereby close in the main or feeder circuit.

The conductor -rails D D are preferably mounted on suitably constructed insulatorchairs and held to run adjacent to or inside the inner sections a b of the main track-sections A B, which will be understood by reference to Fig. 1. The rails D stop at points where the crossover or switch track-section C joins the two track-sections A B, leaving, as it were, the two rail ends d dx widely separatedat such points. The separated portions of the conductor-rail'sections are spanned by the crossover conductor-rail or switch sections 10 and the supplemental conductor-rail sections 11, the peculiar construction of which and their correlation with each other and the main conductor-rail sections D forms the essential feature of this invention. The switch-sections 10 are arranged to operate adjacent the main-track rails in the space between the rails of the main switch-track C, and said sections 10 form practically continuations of the conductorrails D. The supplemental conductor-rails 11 are short sections that span the spaces between the two ends d d of the railsD and the ends of the switch-sections 10, and the said rails 11 are disposed on the outside of and adjacent to the outer rails et tr of the main tracks, the reason for which will presently appear.

The switch-sections 1.0, one of which is shown in detail in Figs. 2 to 6, each consists of a T-rail 10, the ends of which are beveled or inclined, and said rails 10a are of such length as to extend nearly across the distance between the rails of the crossing-section C. Each rail 10 seats on a rest or support formed of two timbers 12 12, between which the web 10b of the rail 10 extends, and said rail is firmly held on the timbers by the clamp-bolts 13, that pass through the said timbers and the rail-web. (See Fig. 5.) Each rail-section 10a is pivotally supported upon a link-bar 14, the upper end of which extends up into sockets 12, formed in the timbers 12, (see Fig. 4,) and said end is apertured to receive the pivotbolt 15, which also passes through metal sleeves 16, held in the timbers 12, and is made. fast bya cotter-pin 15a. The lower end of the bar 14 is also apertured to receive the pivotbolt 16X, that passes through the ears 17 a 17 of a base-plate 17, bolted or made integral with a hanger-chair 18, supported between a pair of cross-ties 19 and made fast thereto, as shown.

@sucios The pivotal connections of the bar 14 are such relatively to the chair 18 and the rail 10 that the forward end of the rail-that is, the end to be first engaged by the pick-up or trolleyshoe on the motor-engine-is slightly heavier than the other end, whereby to cause the rail 10, together with the supporting-timbers 12 and the bar 14, to normally gravitate in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 to bring the switch-section 10 in a plane below that of the track-rails.

In the practical arrangement of my invention the switch-sections 10 are connected with shifting mechanism (not shown) operatively joined with lever devices held on the switchtower from which the sections are operated, or said sections may be joined with ordinary lever devices capable of being manually operated in any approved manner. To prevent the switch-sections 10 being thrown forward too far, the bars 14 have integral heel-pieces 14, that engage the chair 18 when the bars 14 reach their vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2.

The manner in which my invention operates is best explained as follows: In the system before mentioned the motor-engine is equipped with two shoes or pick-up trolleys at each side-a front one and a back oneso as to adapt the motor for picking up the current fron the third rail on the up or down track when running forward. or backward thereon. Assuming now the motor-engine to be traveling in the direction indicated by E in Fig. 1, as it approaches the cross-track C the switchman will set the section 10 justin advance of its elevated position. The engine E in passing forward has its shoe at the outside (indicated by s) engage with the supplemental rail-section 11, which is at this time in electrical harmony with section D, on which the engine stands, before its trolley s at the inside leaves the end of the section D, and during the time said trolley s passes from the section D to the switch 10 current is taken to motor on the engine from the rail-section 11, this same operation being repeated by the next-ahead section 11 as the trolley s leaves the switch-section 10. As the trolley s engages the section 10 the pressure in the direction indicated by arrow .z will keep the section 10 to its elevated position, which position it leaves automatically by gravity or otherwise when the trolley s passes from it.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. In an electric-railway system, a plurality of separated main conductor rails one of which is shiftable into the horizontal plane of another, and an auxiliary conductor rail transversely separated from,and parallel with said main conductor-rails, and arranged to span the gap between said main conductorrails.

2. In an electric-railway system, a main track and a switch, a plurality of separated IOO IIO

main conductor-rails, parallel with the rails of the main track, one of said conductor-rails being shittable into operative and inoperative positions respectively, and being located between the switch-rails, and an auxiliary conductor-rail, transversely separated from and parallel with said main conductor-rails, and arranged to span the gap between the main conductor-rails.

3. In an electric-railway system, a main track and a switch, a plurality of separated main conductor-rails, parallel with the maintrack rails, one of said main conductor-rails being fixed and being located in a plane above the main-track rails and the other one being located between the switcherails, and being shiftable into and out of said plane, and a fixed auxiliary conductor-rail in said plane transversely separated from and parallel with said main conductor-rails and arranged to span the gap between said main conductorrails.

4L. In an electric-railway system, including two main tracks and a switch connecting them, a plurality of separated main conductor-rails-parallel with the main-track rails located in series in proximity respectively, to the inner rails of the main tracks, certain of said main conductor-rails being located between the switclrrails, and shiftable into 0peratve and inoperative positions respec tively, and two series of auxiliary conductorrails located adjacent the outer rails of the main tracks, in parallelism with said main conductor-rails and arranged to span the gaps between the main conductor-rails.

5. In an electric-railway system, a longitudinal conductor-rail, and a bar pivoted to said rail, substantially centrally thereof, and constituting the sole support of said rail.

6. In an electric-railway system, a longitudinal conductor-rail, a bar pivoted to said rail, substantially centrally thereof and constituting the sole support of said rail, and a chair to which said bar is pivoted, said bar having a heel to engage the chair to thereby hold said bar in an upright position.

7. A crossover-switch for joining the ends of two adjacent conductor-rail sections, coinprising a metal closer normally held out of alinement with the crossover-rails, and out of circuit with the said conductor-rails, said switch being pivotally supported to swing over the crossover-rails and to engage the ends of the adjacent conductor-rail sections, for the purposes described.

WALTER D. YOUN G.

Witnesses:

FRED G. DIE'rnRrcH, H. B. ATHEY. 

